Acts 10
1 Now there was a certain man in Caesarea, named Cornelius, the captain of the Italian band of the army;
At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in the regiment known as the “Italian Regiment,”
2 A serious-minded man, fearing God with all his family; he gave much money to the poor, and made prayer to God at all times.
A religious man and one who reverenced God, with all his household. He was liberal in his charities to the people, and prayed to God constantly.
3 He saw in a vision, clearly, at about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of the Lord coming to him and saying to him, Cornelius!
One afternoon, about three o’clock, he distinctly saw in a vision an angel from God come to him, and call him by name.
4 And he, looking on him in fear, said, What is it, Lord? And he said to him, Your prayers and your offerings have come up to God, and he has kept them in mind.
Cornelius fixed his eyes on him and, in great alarm, said, ‘What is it, Lord?’ ‘Your prayers and your charities,’ the angel answered, ‘have been an acceptable offering to God.
5 Now send men to Joppa, and get one Simon, named Peter,
And now, send messengers to Joppa and fetch a man called Simon, who is also known as Peter.
6 Who is living with Simon, a leather-worker, whose house is by the sea.
He is lodging with a tanner named Simon, who has a house near the sea.’
7 And when the angel who said these words to him had gone away, he sent for two of his house-servants, and a God-fearing man of the army, one of those who were waiting on him at all times;
When the angel, who had spoken to him, had gone, Cornelius called two servants and a religious soldier, who was one of his constant attendants,
8 And having given them an account of everything, he sent them to Joppa.
and, after telling them the whole story, sent them to Joppa.
9 Now the day after, when they were on their journey and were near the town, Peter went up to the top of the house for prayer, about the sixth hour:
On the next day, while these men were on their way, just as they were nearing the town, Peter went up on the housetop about midday to pray.
10 And he was in need of food: but while they were getting it ready, a deep sleep came on him;
He became hungry and wanted something to eat; but while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance,
11 And he saw the heavens opening, and a vessel coming down, like a great cloth let down on the earth,
and saw that the heavens were open, and that something like a great sail was descending, let down by its four corners towards the earth.
12 In which were all sorts of beasts and birds.
In it were all kinds of quadrupeds, reptiles, and birds.
13 And a voice came to him, saying, Come, Peter; take them for food.
Then he was aware of a voice which said – ‘Stand up, Peter, kill something, and eat.’
14 But Peter said, No, Lord; for I have never taken food which is common or unclean.
‘No, Lord, I cannot,’ answered Peter, ‘for I have never eaten anything defiled and unclean.’
15 And the voice came to him a second time, What God has made clean, do not you make common.
Again he was aware of a voice which said – ‘What God has pronounced clean, do not regard as defiled.’
16 And this was done three times: and then the vessel was taken back into heaven.
This happened three times, and then suddenly it was all taken up into the heavens.
17 Now while Peter was in doubt as to the purpose of this vision, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made search for Simon's house, came to the door,
While Peter was still perplexed as to the meaning of the vision that he had seen, the men sent by Cornelius, having enquired the way to Simon’s house, came up to the gate,
18 To see if Simon, named Peter, was living there.
and called out and asked if the Simon, who was also known as Peter, was lodging there.
19 And, while Peter was turning the vision over in his mind, the Spirit said to him, See, three men are looking for you.
Peter was still pondering over the vision, when the Spirit said to him, ‘There are two men looking for you at this moment.
20 Go down, then, and go with them, doubting nothing, for I have sent them.
Go down at once and do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.’
21 And Peter went down to the men, and said, I am the man you are looking for: why have you come?
Peter went down to the men and said, ‘I am the person you are looking for. What is your reason for coming?’
22 And they said, Cornelius, a captain, an upright and God-fearing man, respected by all the nation of the Jews, had word from God by an angel to send for you to his house, and to give hearing to your words.
The men replied, ‘Our centurion, Cornelius, a pious man who reverences God and is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, has been instructed by a holy angel to send for you to his house, and to listen to what you have to say.’
23 So he took them in for the night. And the day after, he went with them, taking some of the brothers from Joppa with him.
So Peter invited them in and entertained them. The next day he lost no time in setting out with them, accompanied by some of the Lord’s followers from Joppa;
24 And the day after that, they came to Caesarea. And Cornelius was waiting for them, having got together his relations and his near friends.
and the day following he entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them, and had invited his relatives and intimate friends to meet them.
25 And when Peter came in, Cornelius came to him and, falling down at his feet, gave him worship.
So, when Peter entered the city, Cornelius met him, and, throwing himself at Peter’s feet, bowed to the ground.
26 But Peter, lifting him up, said, Get up, for I am a man as you are.
Peter, however, lifted him up, saying as he did so, ‘Stand up, I am only human like yourself.’
27 And saying these words, he went in, and saw that a great number of people had come together;
Talking with him as he went, Peter entered the house, where he found a large gathering of people, to whom he said,
28 And he said to them, You yourselves have knowledge that it is against the law for a man who is a Jew to be in the company of one who is of another nation; but God has made it clear to me that no man may be named common or unclean:
‘You are doubtless aware that it is forbidden for a Jew to be intimate with a foreigner, or even to enter his house; and yet God has shown me that I ought not to call anyone defiled or unclean.
29 And so I came without question, when I was sent for. What then is your purpose in sending for me?
That was why I came, when I was sent for, without raising any objection. And now I ask your reason for sending for me.’
30 And Cornelius said, Four days from now I was in my house in prayer at the ninth hour; and I saw before me a man in shining clothing,
‘Just three days ago this very hour,’ Cornelius said, ‘I was in my house, saying the Afternoon Prayers, when a man in dazzling clothing suddenly stood before me.
31 Who said, Cornelius, your prayer has come to the ears of God, and your offerings are kept in his memory.
“Cornelius,” he said, “your prayer has been heard, and your charities have been accepted, by God.
32 Send, then, to Joppa, and get Simon, named Peter, to come to you; he is living in the house of Simon, a leather-worker, by the sea.
Therefore send to Joppa, and invite the Simon, who is also known as Peter, to come here. He is lodging in the house of Simon the tanner, near the sea.”
33 So, straight away, I sent for you; and you have done well to come. And now, we are all present before God, ready to give attention to all the things which the Lord has given you to say.
Accordingly I sent to you at once, and you have been so good as to come. And now we are all here in the presence of God, to listen to all that you have been instructed by the Lord to say.’
34 Then Peter said, Truly, I see clearly that God is no respecter of persons:
Then Peter began. ‘I see, beyond all doubt,’ he said, ‘that God does not show partiality,
35 But in every nation, the man who has fear of him and does righteousness is pleasing to him.
but that in every nation he who reverences him and does what is right is acceptable to him.
36 The word which he sent to the children of Israel, giving the good news of peace through Jesus Christ (who is Lord of all) —
God has sent his message to the Israelites and told them, through Jesus Christ, the good news of peace – and Jesus is Lord of all!
37 That word you yourselves have knowledge of, which was made public through all Judaea, starting from Galilee, after the baptism of which John was the preacher,
You yourselves know the story which spread through all Judea, how, beginning form Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed –
38 About Jesus of Nazareth, how God gave the Holy Spirit to him, with power: and how he went about doing good and making well all who were troubled by evil spirits, for God was with him.
the story, I mean, of Jesus of Nazareth, and how God consecrated him his Christ by enduing him with the Holy Spirit and with power; and how he went about doing good and curing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
39 And we are witnesses of all the things which he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem; whom they put to death, hanging him on a tree.
We are ourselves, too, witnesses to all that he did in Judea and in Jerusalem; yet they put him to death by hanging him on a cross!
40 On the third day God gave him back to life, and let him be seen,
This Jesus God raised on the third day, and enabled him to appear,
41 Not by all the people, but by witnesses marked out before by God, even by us, who took food and drink with him after he came back from the dead.
not indeed to everyone, but to witnesses chosen beforehand by God – to us, who ate and drank with him after his resurrection from the dead.
42 And he gave us orders to give news of this to the people, and to give public witness that this is he whom God has made judge of the living and the dead.
Further, God charged us to proclaim to the people, and solemnly affirm, that it is Jesus who has been appointed by God judge of the living and the dead.
43 To him all the prophets give witness, that through his name everyone who has faith in him will have forgiveness of sins.
To him it is that all the prophets bear witness, when they say that everyone who believes in him receives through his name forgiveness of sins.’
44 While Peter was saying these words, the Holy Spirit came on all those who were hearing the word.
Before Peter had finished saying these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the message.
45 And the Jews of the faith, who had come with Peter, were full of wonder, because the Holy Spirit was given to the Gentiles,
Those converts from Judaism, who had come with Peter, were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been bestowed even on the Gentiles;
46 And they were talking in tongues, and giving glory to God. Then Peter said,
for they heard them speaking in different languages and extolling God. At this Peter asked,
47 Will any man say that these may not have baptism who have been given the Holy Spirit as we have?
‘Can anyone refuse the water for the baptism of these people, now that they have received the Holy Spirit as we did ourselves?’
48 And he gave orders for them to have baptism in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they kept him with them for some days.
And he directed that they should be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ; after which they asked him to stay there a few days longer.
